Economic Development

Apply for Rockefeller Foundation Big Bets Fellowship 2026 United States: National Fellowship for Leaders Building Economic Resilience

If you design bold community-first solutions to economic disruption — programs that reconnect displaced workers to jobs, policies that shore up local economies, or enterprises that create opportunity in places others have given up on — the Rockefeller Foundation Big Bets Fellowship could be the kind of platform that accelerates your work.

Amount: Travel expenses covered for in-person convening, plus peer network, coaching, and strategic support Deadline: Jan 12, 2026 Location: United States

BUILD Discretionary Grant Program (formerly RAISE/TIGER)

USDOT BUILD discretionary grant guidance for multimodal surface transportation projects, including FY 2026 NOFO and submission workflow.

Amount: Award size varies by annual NOFO and project scope Deadline: Feb 24, 2026 Location: United States

Treasury New Markets Tax Credit Program

Permits individual and corporate investors to receive a federal income tax credit in exchange for making equity investments in certified Community Development Entities that finance projects in low-income communities.

Type: Tax Credit Amount: 39% federal tax credit claimed over seven years on qualified equity investments Deadline: Annual CDFI Fund allocation application window (varies each year) Location: United States

USDA Rural Business Development Grants (RBDG)

USDA Rural Development grant program supporting rural business opportunity and enterprise projects through eligible public and nonprofit applicants.

Type: Grant Amount: Award amounts vary by project type, state office priorities, and annual funding notices Deadline: Varies by state office and notice cycle (many FY 2025 state notices closed February 28, 2025 at local-time cutoffs) Location: United States

Draft - Still needs more analysis by our staff

Win Up to $50 Million for Jobs and Infrastructure: The EDA Recompete Pilot Program Grants for Distressed Communities

There are grants that buy you a few meetings, a consultant report, and a slightly-too-optimistic PDF.

Amount: Strategy Development Grants up to $500,000; Implementation Grants up to $50 million Deadline: Periodic NOFOs; next round expected late 2025 Location: United States